Office



y(No Modei.)

y T1 L. PQRTUNB. PORTABLE COMMODB AND 'BBD PAN.

N0.-576,-s98. Patented Peb; 2, 1397.

NTTED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

THOMAS L. FORTUNE, OF CLINTON, CANADA.

PORTABLE COMMODE AND BED-PAN.

SPECIFICATION forming' part Of Letters Patent NO. 576,398, datedFebruary 2, 1897.

Application filed May 19, 1896. Serial No. 592,181. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

' Be it known that 1, THOMAS L. FORTUNE, a citizen of Canada, residingat Clinton, in the county of Huron and Province of Ontario,

Canada, have invented certain new and useg use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in portable commodes and bed-pans,and its novelty and advantages will be fullyunder-` stood from thefollowing description and claims when taken in conjunction with theannexed drawings, in which i Figure 1 is a perspective view illustratingmy improved topl in position on a slop-pail and ready for use. Fig. 2 isadiametrical section of the same with the lid of the top closed. Fig. 3is a perspective view illustrating my improved top in position on thereceptacle Vand ready for use as a bed-pan, and Fig. 4 is a diametricalsection of the same with the lid of the top closed.

In the said drawings similar numerals designate corresponding parts inall of the several views, referring to which- 1 indicates a slop-pail,which may have a bail 2 and may be otherwise of the ordinaryconstruction, and 3 indicates my improved top. This top 3 is preferablyformed of metal, although it may be formed of any other suitablematerial, and it comprises the annular side Wall 4, which has the lowerportion 5, designed to enter the upper end of the pail 1, and theoutwardly-directed flange G, which is designed to bear upon the upperedge of the pail and is preferably formed by bending the Wall 4, asshown. The wall 7 at `the upper edge of the wall `4, which is preferablypitched downwardly and inwardly, so as to form a comfortable seat, andis provided with the opening 8, of suitable shape and size, and the lid9, which is connected to the side wall 4 in a hinged manner, asindicated by 10. This lid 9 is preferably provided With a resilientcatch 11 to hold it in its closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, and itis also pro vided on its inner under side with a receptacle 12, whichhas a normally-plugged aperture 13, through which it may be charged withdisinfectant in powder or other suitable form. Communication is effectedbetween the interior of the receptacle 12 and the interior of the pail 1by the aperture 14 in said receptacle, and this aperture is controlledby the upwardly-seating valve 15, which is preferably of the form shown,and has a stem 15a, extending through the lid 9, as illustrated. Thevalve 14 isV normally held to its seat or closed by the coiled spring16, which is connected to the valve-stem and bears at its lower end uponthe bottom of the receptacle 12, as shown.

In virtue of the construction thus .far described a slop-pail may bevery quickly and easily converted into a commode by simply placing thetop 3 in the upper end thereof, as shown by full lines in Figs.,1 and 2.Such a commode is comfortable to the user, and after it has been usedand the lid is closed no odors can escape from its interior.Furthermore, a quantity of disinfecting substance may, When necessary,be discharged upon the contents of the pail to deodorize the same bysimply pressing upon the valve-stem 15 and 'without raising the lid,which is an important advantage, as is obvious. When a sufficientquantity of disinfectant has escaped from the receptacle l2 into thepail, itis simply necessary to release the valve-stem, when the valve 14will be returned to and held against the seat to prevent the escape ofnoxious odors through the said receptacle 12, as Well as to prevent theescape of the remaining disinfectant therein contained.

When the pail is to be discharged of its contents, the top 3 is liftedtherefrom, and the pail may then be readily emptied and cleansed, whichis a desideratum.

17 indicates the receptacle, which is deA signed, in conjunction Withthe top 3, to form a bedfpan. This receptacle 17 preferably has a bottom18, a side Wall 19, which is pitched outwardly and is of a greaterheight at one side than at the other, and the inwardly pitched Wall 20,which is of an even Width or height throughout its length and ispermanently connected to the upper edge of the Wall19, as shown. To forma bed-pan, the

IOO

edge of the wall 2O and is preferably connected thereto by the clasps2l, which are connected in a hinged manner to the bottom of thereceptacle and engage the iiange 6 of the top 3, as shown.

The top 3 of the bed-pan is, in virtue of the Wall 19 of the receptaclebeing higher at one side than at the other, given the inclination sodesirable in bed-pans, and said top and the receptacle form a verydesirable bed-pan, for it will be observed that after use the receptaclemay be readily removed from the top and easily discharged of itscontents and cleansed. The contents of the receptacle may also bedeodorized without opening or uncovering the receptacle by openin g thevalve 14, before described.

Having described my invention, what I claim is l. The combination of thereceptacle having the bottom wall, the upwardly and outwardly inclinedside wall of greater width at one side of the receptacle than at theopposite side thereof, and the inwardly-inclined side wall ofcorresponding` Width throughout its length flxedlysecured upon the upperedge of the outwardly-inclined wall, the top receiving the receptacleand comprising the side wall having the upwardly and outwardly inclinedportion 5, and also having the flange G, between said portions 4, and 5,the wall connected to the upper edge of the side wall and having anopening of suitable shape and size, and a lid therefor, and the pailreceiving the receptacle and the portion 5, of the top, 3 5substantially as specied.

2. The combination of the receptacle having the bottom wall, theupwardly and outwardly inclined side wall of greater width at one sidethan at the opposite side thereof and 4o the inwardly-inclined side wallof corresponding width throughout its length iixedly secured upon theupper edge of the outwardlyinclined wall, the top receiving thereceptacle and comprising the side wall having the up- 45 wardly andinwardly inclined portion 4, and the downwardly and inwardly inclinedportion 5, and the ilange G, between said portions 4, and 5, the wallconnected to the upper edge of the side wall and having an open- 5o ingof suitable shape and size, and a lid, and the clasps 2l connected in ahinged manner to the receptacle and adapted to engage the iiange 6, ofthe top, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 55 in presence of twowitnesses.

THOMAS L. FORTUNE.

Witnesses:

XV. XV. FARRAN, EPH BUTT.

